Machines for moving material such as a rope shovels, mining shovels, excavators, and backhoes may be configured for rotational movement to move material between locations at a work site. For example, machines with such rotational capabilities may dig material at a first location such as a dig site with a material engaging work implement and rotate the work implement to a second location such as a dump site at which the work implement is dumped or unloaded.
The machines may operate in an autonomous or semi-autonomous manner to perform these tasks in response to commands generated as part of a work plan for the machines. The machines may receive instructions in accordance with the work plan to perform operations at the work site, such as those related to mining, earthmoving, construction, and other industrial activities.
The process of digging material at the first location and dumping material at the second location may be repeated numerous times over the course of a desired time period. Control of such machines may be a complex task requiring a significant amount of skill on the part of an operator and may require the manipulation of multiple input devices. As an example, it is typically desirable to move the work implement in a consistent and controlled manner along the desired path between the first location and the second location.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,104 discloses a hydraulic excavator having an area limiting excavation control system. The area limiting excavation control system has a setting device permitting an operator to set an excavation area at which an end of a bucket is allowed to move. The area limiting excavation control system also includes angle sensors disposed at pivot points of a boom, an arm, and a bucket for detecting respective rotational angles and velocities thereof, a tilt angle sensor for detecting a tilt angle of the excavator's body in a fore/aft direction, and a pressure sensor for detecting a load pressure of the boom as it is moved upward in response to signals generated by a control lever.
The foregoing background discussion is intended solely to aid the reader. It is not intended to limit the innovations described herein, nor to limit or expand the prior art discussed. Thus, the foregoing discussion should not be taken to indicate that any particular element of a prior system is unsuitable for use with the innovations described herein, nor is it intended to indicate that any element is essential in implementing the innovations described herein. The implementations and application of the innovations described herein are defined by the appended claims.